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XPN2 - Jingle Jams

24/7 Musical discovery. A unique mix of emerging and heritage blues, rock, world, folk, and alt-country artists.
Jingle Jams. An eclectic assortment of holiday tunes, from the new and quirky to the classic.

Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know - Ribbon Music

At just 21 years old Laura Marling has already found significant success at home in Britain. She’s emerged from a revivalist music scene in London rooted in traditional folk that has already spawned massive commercial appeal with bands like Mumford & Sons. For Laura, her first two albums were each nominated for the UK Mercury Music Prize and earlier this year she won Best Female Solo artist at the Brit Awards. Her third release A Creature I Don’t Know aims to cover new ground musically, plus serves as a proper introduction to new audiences here in the U.S.

Whether or not it’s your first encounter with Marling her ability to narrate a story through her music has always been a draw. On A Creature I Don’t Know Marling supplements her songwriting skills with dynamic arrangements. Where we found beauty in the sparseness of just a voice and a guitar, we now find it in the musical ride of these constructions. We were tipped off with the song “Sophia,” which preceded the release of the new album. From the whispery first verse, the song unfolds into a sprawling full band occasion. It’s easily her most appealing and dynamic moment as an artist.

And much like her aforementioned musical counterparts (Mumford & Sons), there is an almost anthemic effect to this music. Similar to “Sophia,” songs like “My Friends,” “The Beast” and “All My Rage” rely so much on momentum, they just swell to captivation. On A Creature I Don’t Know Marling is grasping her potential and listeners with each song.

Every month, the station's soothsayers and tastemakers select what they consider to be the best of the new. As a CDOM Club member, you'll receive all twelve of the CD of the Month selections during the year along with all of our special XPN releases -- including Live at the World Cafe CDs and XPN New Music Samplers. That's at least 16 CDs total!